Judge Aileen Cannon tossed former President Trump’s case over his alleged mishandling of classified information, ruling Monday that special counsel Jack Smith was not lawfully appointed.
The ruling hands a major victory to Trump, marking the first time one of his four criminal cases has been dismissed entirely.
“The Superseding Indictment is dismissed because Special Counsel Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution,” Cannon wrote in a 93-page ruling.
The judge said her determination is “confined to this proceeding.”
The decision comes just days after an attempted assassination against the former president.
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